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 Posted - January 30 2013 : 08:57:21 AM
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I've seen some IHC passenger cars that interest me, but I have no idea about their quality. I'm not that interested in detail, but more interested in how heavy they are and how they run and stay on the track. Are they like Lifelike or Model Power rolling stock or better?
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Posted - January 30 2013 : 09:05:17 AM
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oh I'd say better Besides IHC no longer exists What that new IHC website has is leftovers I think
AHM cars are pretty good too
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Posted - January 30 2013 : 10:22:40 AM
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The IHC passengers cars are generally smooth runners. The last ones I bought were a little on the light side. I ended up gluing stacks of pennies onto the floors and they run much better now 
Edited by - DaCheez on January 30 2013 10:23:31 AM
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Posted - January 31 2013 : 12:43:22 AM
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| DaCheez... I have seen metal weights for sale for passenger cars at LHS's....
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 Posted - January 31 2013 : 01:07:10 AM
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| I'm sure they make them, I just used what I had handy. Store-bought weights would probably cost a few dollars anyway. My weights costs...PENNIES *rimshot*
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Posted - January 31 2013 : 05:15:09 AM
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quote:DaCheez... I have seen metal weights for sale for passenger cars at LHS's....
Originally posted by AF Kid - January 31 2013 : 12:43:22 AM
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Any metal weight is good for these cars. Pay attention to the axle points, however. While more weight helps them track better, use your (graphite) pencil tip to coat the axle tips and pockets they are in because squealing can be very common. Okay when slowing down, but consistently squealing might drive you mad.
RivaRossi: some have had metal wheels for electrical wiring of interior lights... gray/black under-frame, windows and roofs are one-piece. Made in Italy
AHM... Usually identical to RivaRossi, slight variation on chassis & wheel, chassis marked Made in Italy for AHM
IHC... Windows and roof are separate fused-together pieces, chassis is all black, softer plastic (pro's and con's), wheels/trucks may be so-so dependability... Made in... varies.
IHC cars will be distinctively different shades of colour/color to RivaRossi and AHM, as well as detail...
IHC cars do offer "Add-On" grab-irons.
McHenry knuckle couplers are offered for both 2 and 3 axle trucks for IHC... there are conversion kits for RR and AHM...
Another thing to note with coupling these cars, as like with the Athearn passenger cars, is that they are of the Talgo-type... the couplers are attached to the truck assembly. Draw-bar hang and coupling dependability can be factors. Pulling a string of the cars (albeit correct length) is favorable/favourable... pushing/shoving a few can pose a challenge.
The couplers (knuckle or horn-hook) are also attached to a plastic post in the middle of the truck... break one "finger" spring: okay... break both springs: they are junk! Buy new ones.
Horn-Hook/X2F couplers factor good in pulling... not so well in pushing.
Knuckle couplers must match car end-for-car end... pushing is so-so.
 Is this too much information? It's my experience for 30+ years.
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
Edited by - zebrails on January 31 2013 05:19:07 AM
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Posted - February 02 2013 : 12:45:30 AM
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I own a full 8 car set of Pennsy IHC cars. I have a 6 car set on loan and 5 other single Rivarossi cars tool.
The IHC cars are under-weight, and I feel like the cars have a bit of a 'chincy' feel due to the softer plastic. There are interior kits, metal wheel sets, and lighting kits available (and I probably should have bought some), but in the end it increases the cost of the car comparable to any other type of car. I think they're decent for the low price, and are excellent canidates for kitbashing. Online, people seem to think they're still worth a fortune, but I find that if that was true, they'd sell more often at the higher prices everyone is asking.
Rivarossi cars are of the harder plastic, and even the newer (1999 and onward) production of these cars seems to have retained that type of plastic, and it just feels 'less like junk' than the IHC cars. All of mine are second hand, but it appears that some contain interiors (even lighting) while others were just an empty car.
On both types of cars, the Talgo trucks inhibit pushing, because of the nature of the trucks. It'd be hard to do 18" curves with body mounted couplers without a swining box anyway. Both types of cars generally don't look great on 18 curves, but 85' cars never do look as neat without really wide curves.
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Posted - September 05 2013 : 6:50:54 PM
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The bulk of my passenger fleet is IHC/Rivarossi/Con-Cor.
Practically speaking, IHC=Rivarossi. Con-Cor very similar.
And IHC cars are definitely too light. My standard procedure when acquiring any of these cars is to replace the wheelsets, install Kadee 505 or 508 couplers and add weight. For weight I use stick-on motorcycle/auto wheel weights. They come in .25 oz. segmented lead sticks.
The McHenry conversion couplers mentioned above - while an easy snap in replacement for the horn-hooks, are absolute crap in my opinion. They tend to droop at improper coupler height levels and the delicate "springs" snap off if you look at them too long.
All that said, I think they are a good value compared with the over priced competition. They strip well in 91% alcohol too if you're like me and like to paint/decal your own stuff.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - September 06 2013 : 11:47:59 AM
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IHC are good passenger cars, unlike they're freight cars, the passenger cars were of really good quality, BUT I'll say here and now.....ADD WEIGHT to them.....That's about all they need! And you might want to add in the diaphragm between cars if they don't already come with them anyway!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid... 
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - September 06 2013 : 3:37:19 PM
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quote:IHC are good passenger cars, unlike they're freight cars, the passenger cars were of really good quality, BUT I'll say here and now.....ADD WEIGHT to them.....That's about all they need! And you might want to add in the diaphragm between cars if they don't already come with them anyway!
Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â September 06 2013Â :Â 11:47:59 AM
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Weight and metal wheels - but that's a personal bug with me, I hate plastic wheels on my passenger cars!
One cool thing about the Kadee 505/508 conversions is that it makes it easier to bring the coupling distances closer, the couplers have a slot that lets you adjust the closeness after installation. Still a truck-mounted deal, but I don't do anything except pull my passenger trains anyway, not a lot of pushing going on.
http://tycodepot.com/
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